The Book of Elmen Elicar, of the second
by Ahoava235
Summary: Life is an epic; full of beauty in evey detail. Once, amidst the struction of man, came a desire for these beautiful things in life; and thus the world was created. From the pits of one mans abyss, and a spirits boredom, comes about a world of astounding beauty, by its culture and its life. When they come to realize, it was a tragic world they had created.. Self created, not fanfic
1. Chapter 1

View 1; note. The Maker is Elmen.

There once was a world built by a man, and a man in itself alone: or so it was thought that this large dimension of a world was built by one man on the command of his word. But in truth, it is a tragic world the man never realized he created.

On a day the summer moon hung three quarters in the sky, below the sun and parthridge. The parthridge is a set of folded steps that lead to the dimension of The Maker, that hung about mid sky, not touching the ground or the suns. The short staircase led to a door that stayed invisible until walked through. On the other side of the door, The Maker peered down on his people.

"You have been standing there for a long time, Father." A young lad compromised of human and beastly features approached from the back wall of a seemingly small quarter. He approached The Maker, holding a pair of spectacles in his left hand, which he shifted to the top of his head like a band as he added more books to the pile at his chest by his right arm. His hair was shaven but grew longer as it reached the upper right corner of his face, covering his insipid blue eyes slightly. Tall figured, he peered taller foot by foot than the assistant pixie clutched to his left leg like an inattentive child.

She was the colors of the night and sea, spotted in shades of grays and blues that covered her thin body up to her face, where an arched line, clear blue with ashy streaks, followed her brow and dipped down her nose curling into the frame of her eyes from the tips of her eyebrows. She peered forward, her eyes wide and deep gray, taking in all of The Maker.

He too, only inches taller than his son, bore a strong build. He was further clothed with a purple cloth like silk, embroidered with ascents of daily life; shopping in the market, marriage ceremonies, citizens chatting and laughing enjoyably. Since the embroidery possessed the ability to change, no pattern was ever solid or alike the other. Once it may show the scenes of a baby's first cries to suddenly shift its sow into a beautiful young woman at her first confession.

The Maker's gaze held to the ground, his dark eyes peering into the translucent floor of his floating dimension. Through it he watched from above, witnessing all in the 14 Kingdoms. Far in the north, in the Eastern corner lived the Shalacks, bright in their stature and correlation. Their skin is compromised of a greenish tint mixed with bright and dim yellow raised patterns. A people of the water, eyes like a human, but no feature more Skin as soft and absorbent as a sponge, lined in small black dots which filter and soak up nutrients like a plant. Their faces are narrow, and their ears are pointed upward like elves but wider at the base. Three large slits sit in the ear filtering air into their lungs. Their hands glow paint red, as do their hearts. Their race is tall; the females average 6'10'', males 7'4''. Their hearts also depend on gender. The males have a heart in the bicep of the left arm further built into the shoulder and under the shoulder blade. Their other heart is built into the inside of their upper thigh, on the inside of their right leg. The females have three hearts, as an extra precaution for childbirths; the men can also carry children, however, their hearts are much stronger built. The female hearts are small and are located in the palms of the females' hands, extending into their wrists. The third heart is placed under the right shoulder blade. This race flourishes in the North Eastern waters, filled with low salt, but many minerals and greenery.

"The North Eastern Kingdom of Galalea, it is called." The son points out as he stands side by side to The Maker. The Maker continues his deep stare into the North Eastern Colonies. Releigh realizes he didn't gain much of his father's attention, and so he speaks again.

"Father..." The Maker, reacts as if he awoke suddenly from a day dream, and turns to his son more aware of his presence. Releigh smiles back as The Maker assesses his surroundings before standing tall and turns his attention to Releigh.

"Hello, Releigh." His son nods his head, as in "no duh".

"You seemed to be taken aback for a moment," as he looks to the North Eastern corner of the transparent floor map. "Is something the matter?"

The Maker shifts awkwardly, as he catches a glance at the floor map's North Eastern hemisphere, then frowns.

"I'm not sure, but..." He looks desperately at his son. Had any random stranger come along, no one would have guessed that The Maker and Releigh were parent and child. The Maker's looks had never aged passed 26, and his son, now 23, would stop around 30-32 like his older brothers. The Maker breathed deeply, then sighed, and pointed toward the areas around the North Eastern hemisphere.

"Look here."

Releigh peered at the angle of his father's hand. The large Triger forest laps miles of greenery around the Galalea Kingdom, branching off into the South, spreading as far West as half the dimension; an easy travel route between borders. However, Releigh looked deeply into the forest's North Eastern circumference. Releigh's face frowns and twist between anger and confusion. In the forest, a built up line of men, carriages and large beastly animals such as massive wolves, foxes, and small stagnant boars marched in armor. The larger beasts had riders who were armed with trinkets all along their belts and saddles.

Four men lead the march, two in front, one in the middle and one at the end. Their clump masses filled the forest with, what looked like from afar, as dead leaves. They were marching into the direction of the far West, following the tree path to shadow their men by the millions.

Releigh threw his books and papers o the side in outrage as he slammed his fists against the glass. The trees shook back and forth, birds took to the skies and the marching men wobbled like bobble figures. People throughout the entire dimension staggered back and forth trying to regain their balance.

"Reliegh!" The Maker screamed. Releigh ignored him, and began blowing on the marching men. A fierce wind raged between the trees, holding a freeze, turning the base of tree trunks light brown and icy. The men curled inward and hugged themselves and their cold armor. The animals began acting on edge, but the four men stood unnerved. They rode out and in between their men, holding stead west, with their men following still. The army had huddled together like a herd of penguins behind them, shifting one person from the inside of the group outward, like two conveyer belts in-lined; they marched forward loud and chanting.

The Maker furiously covered Releigh's mouth with his hand, squeezing his cheeks as he turned his head so their gazes were equal. With a glare in his eyes, The Maker whispered, "You will do no more."

Releigh, fearful at first, regained his thought and ripped The Maker's hand from his mouth. He then stood tall before his father, the pixie mimicking his face, and glared, stating, with short space between them, "I will do as I please."


	2. Nessa Belivaurd

Nessa

View 2: ignore the [FX] brackets. Those are for me to develope a better word usage.

A young female child twirls about a pile of golden orange and brown leaves. The sun stokes through the clearings above her, highlighting the brown of her skin, it glistens as she twirls. Solely her laughter fills the yard like silence, catching the attention of all those around her; it is but a peaceful day.

The child sweeps up a pile of leaves to her chest, tossing them into the air so that they fall like rain upon her. Extending her arms outward, she begins to twirl in a path along the edge of the yard under trees with heights of a building. As she twirls, she closes her eyes while maintaining a line, her long hair twisting around her body like a baton ribbon. The colors stream from her scalp starting in a medium orange, turning to red grape fruit, until, at its tip, knotted in a fine bow, just above her heels, is a soft tan . The trees, as if part of her performance lean inward slightly, shading the sun, bending forward and backward, parting like the arms of a comb when parted, casting a spotlight on her every movement.

Light purple leaves fall from the branches, floating above the ground at first in spirals till they form into another child, a bit taller, taking the appearance of a young boy. His face smiled as he bowed and held out his hand for a dance with the young girl. She bowed back, folding her arm under her waist before placing it into the hand of the boy. The young child moved with grace and dexterity, and with energy they danced. Soon the base of the hollow trees began to swell and collapse, portraying the sound of a drum. Bum-ta-ta-bum. The branches turned inward to rake themselves along their bark and the flowers, like cages, shook with the seeds; sha-sha-sha as the leaves twirled, slicing the wind with a soft whistle.

As the children danced to the beat, their stood surrounding the courtyard at its edges, women and men in uniform alike. Each had a thin veil across their eyes attached to a white head cover that concealed the back of their neck. Their chest and arms were cloaked in a body suit, laced in stripes of red and white over a black base, curving out and into the center of their chest at a blue sun containing a red moon inside. Each guarded their space of the outer ring of the garden, filled with rectangular ponds mapped into the sun symbol itself from the skyline. With each step, the child danced over the small hand-made rivers and into the small man made valley filled with flowers. North of her, about 100 feet began the shadow of a large castle that sat in the background beside them all. The garden entrance, a twenty step waterfall staircase of stone, was also lined with servants at every two set of steps. At the bottom, a pair of mounted statue pixies sat on each corner. Both had one leg rested on the statue base, the left to the left, the right to the right. Their big toes poured water into the garden, their feet arched as if to graze their foot along the surface of pond. Their cheeks rested against the knee of their other leg, where their eyes and smiles peered into the garden and their stone dresses dangled loosely around the base. As if alive and watching they stared into the center of the garden.

Another young girl stood between them. She was dressed in a chest piece with wide spaghetti straps that stopped just beneath her breasts showing her stomach. From her shoulders down, light blue cloths draped to bangles at her wrist, where they stretched further across the top of her hands, binding to rings on her middle fingers. Her hair, a darker blonde and medium long, rested in a braid atop of her shoulders. From her waist down, a dark blue skirt with slits along the sides to reveal white shorts beneath. Just below her calves are bands of golden stings. A leather flower plate rests atop[F1] the arch of her foot secured by bands that attach to the same pattern beneath. The bands string up from her center and big toe connecting to the same print atop her foot, and then to a ring wrapped around the upper base of the ankle where is buttons together. Her eyes follow the child as she dances about the garden; they are calm and still blue with a golden ring in the center.

In the gardens[F2] center lies a small circular pond that reaches deep into the[F3] breast of the mountain side. The water flows from the ground level pond towards the edge of the garden, emerging through a clearing between the trees, where it cascades off the tip of the mountain edge, streaming down into the vast city below.

Still the child dances with her partner made of leaves across the garden. As they stop in front of the stair steps just before the shadow of the castle, the young child reaches her hand to smoothly caress the boy's cheek, the ground rumbles in the distance. Everyone in the courtyard, even the boy of leaves turned and looked out over the city. The trees below the mountain shook violently; cries filled the city like a breath of air. The harsh level of shaking ricoshade through everything, building its energy till it hit the mountain.

The young child lost her balance and fell backward. Some bases of the trees filled with air collapsed with a boom- crack causing their trunks to fall over. Leaves filled the air, and the water rippled in the circular pond falling in sudden chunks over the edge of the mountain. The boy of leaves dispersed into the wind, and the young girl at the staircase fell into a lunge, catching herself and placing all her weight onto the ground. The servants wobbled and staggered, the sound of falling vases could be heard through the entrance of the garden inside the palace. In the garden, female servants screamed in shock, the men fondled for their swords as they caught their balance. After the intense quake passed, some servants peered over the border of the cliff into the city. Small damage could be visually reported, in the collapse of bridges, some fallen trees and broken objects. The young girl rushed quickly passed the center of the garden to the young child, who lay sprawled out in a star on the ground. The young child's eyes peered into the young girls as she blocked the view of the sun.

The young child smiled, as she placed her arm over her brow to better look at her keeper.

"Locrr, Namitaste, Evellett."The young child said, still lying on the ground.

"Bue nas fistac, Nessa." Evellett responded. "Are you alright?" she asks.

"Yes, I'm fine.

From around the corner of the stone deck at the garden entrance came two young men followed by another younger boy. Each boy was individually different. The young man to the left had orange-red hair like Nessa's, but the tips were a darker brown, and his hair stopped just above his eyes and ears. He scanned the back of the garden from the higher deck view. He breathed a sigh of relief, as he spotted two young girls in the center of the garden[F4] ; he turned the corner of the stairs, sliding his hand along the smooth stone rails, watching his feet as he took each step. He was taller than the younger boy behind him. A metallic earring was cuffed to the arch of his ear, from which a pair of jewel beads streamed down clashing with his neck and shoulder, its tip the same color as his brown hair. His pants were loose with many pockets lining from the exterior down the leg. A thick built in belt compressed against his hips, his loose shirt with a slight v neck flashed his pale white under skin as he came down the stairway. His tennis shoes, a neutral color, had bear claws engraved into its outer sides, and an open tongue replaced by beaded strings which matched his earring.

All the boys had the same tennis shoes, each with an individual engraftment. The other young man's engraftment was a V upside down, representing a mountain. He was a clear few inches taller than the other young boy, and had dark navy blue hair that curled and looped over itself to the left of his face. The streamed beads stemmed from the curls in his hair to the metal bar at the bridge of his ear. His eyes were narrow in a disapproved look. His pants were cuffed up a couple, the right inches higher than the left.

"Nessa!" The youngest boy shouted as he strode out from in between the two boys, his arms wide as if to hug her. Nessa turned at the call of her name, to find herself embraced in a hug by her youngest older brother. He was small for his age and only two years older. Behind him was another set of her siblings, casually walking towards her location. They were tall, and by the time they had reached Evellett and Nessa, their shadows had engulfed them. To the left, with orange red hair was Riem and to his right was Cahst; his attitude was showing coarsely.

Nessa smiled and hugged her brother back before greeting Riem and Cahst with a bow, Evellett watched and awkwardly did the same. Cahst seemed more entertained with evaluating the damage of the garden; he crouched to his knees, sliding his fingers across the cracks in the concrete waterways. At first his face looked sad and worried, but then continued to change between upset and its natural composure. They watched him for a few minutes before Riem broke the silence.

"So...Nessa?" his voiced asked with a questioning look. Nessa looked carefully at him, his arms were crossed and he seemed quite serious.

"Um..yes?"

"Care to explain yourself?" Nessa looked confused, why did she have to explain herself? She grew slightly irritated at the thought this might be some joke for them to display their powers of authority.

"About what?"

"What?" he seemed shocked, then slightly angry. "Why are you in the garden?"

Nessa began to answer immediately, when Evellett suddenly jumped in between her and her brother.

"Because I felt like being out here...Evellett, what are you doing?" Evellett waved her hands in Nessa's face, "Stop, stop it." Nessa took a few steps back to move away, before freezing in place. She looked at Evellet, whose face was screaming at her to shut up, but she started again. "I...I'm..." At first her response was bold, but suddenly Nessa's memory began flooding back to her, and she grew nervous; Riem's irritation grew.

"Ha. I knew it." He shouted. Nessa tilted her head to the ground. "YOU "were" skipping your lessons again." He pushed Evellett out of the way and to the side, she tottered before losing her balance. "Explain to me why? Why can't you just stay with your caretaker for one day without sneaking off?"

Nessa turned to Evellett with tears welling in her eyes; Evellett stood up and tugged on Riem's arm. His anger turned to her, "And you!" Evellett was taken by surprise. "You're her life partner; at least make sure she is doing what she is supposed to." Evellett's face saddened and she let go. Riem looked at them both, their heads were slanted to the ground, and the guilt was on their faces. He peered down on them angrily.

Nessa tried her best to seem sincere about ditching her classes, but in truth, she wasn't. Her eyes peeked up at Riem, who, still angry glared back. She frowned. This was getting harder and harder every time, usually they were out before they got caught. Nessa looked at Evelllett and blamed her for their current situation; she was supposed to be on look out for her siblings, or anyone from the palace. Evelett looked back, and began to cry. Nessa held her gaze, feel it she thought, you're why we're in this mess. Riem could practically see the brain waves as he watched Evellett cry pitifully for a moment before flicking Nessa on the forehead. "Hey, don't glare at her." Nessa rubbed her forehead with her hands and winced. "You should have been in class." Nessa glared at her brother, her tears building before she abruptly began bawling.

"I don't want to take lessons. I want to explore like the rest of you." She cried. Indeed, Nessa was the only one who took lessons out of her eleven siblings, and her only female companion was her life partner and her mother, and her nanny, and the storekeeper over the bridge in the market, her brothers' fiancés who come to visit every so often. Her crying stopped as she thought of all the people she did get to interact with.

"I'm sorry. I'll go to my lesson's." she looked at Riem, who seemed sort of shocked, but she would hold her end of the bargain; and that was, she wouldn't have met half of all those people if she hadn't skipped her lessons in the palace. For sure, she was going to escape to the city next to hang out with the store keeper at the bridge. Nessa plotted her plans, hiding her joy on the inside, turning to Evellett to whisper into her ear, when she realized she was still crying.

Nessa plucked a blue flower from the ground, putting it into Evelllett's hands, before helping her put it into her hair. Evellett stopped crying and quickly rushed over to Cahst, who was now sitting on the ground filling the cracks of stone with dirt. He turned as Evellett tapped his shoulder, she pointed to a flower next to him, and he plucked it and another, placing one in her hand and the other in her hair.

"Your garden... it was beautiful" she said sincerely. Cahst smiled and her face felt red.

"It will just take some time to repair." He looked towards Nessa who was arguing with Riem. "You guys are always welcome in the garden."

Evellett rushed back to Nessa, and put the purple flower in her hair.

"There you see" Nessa shouted to her brother.

"No, you're still here, and what's to say you'll make it there without wandering off on the way."

"I will .You can even check up on us later, let's go, Evellett." Nessa grabbed Evellett's hand and marched off up the entrance steps into the palace; the purple flower falling from her hair onto the steps. Quickly, she turned and stuck her tongue out at her brother, "Bleh. Bluh-bleh, bluh, bleh, bleh, bleh." She mocked, before rushing in and closing the large wooden door.

Once inside, Nessa felt for the flower, it wasn't there. She scanned the marble floor of the palace, and grew sad; nothing. She had dropped it outside. She frowned, "I'm sorry, Evellett. I lost the flower outside." Evelllet smiled,

"It's ok. Your dance earlier was much more stunning." Nessa blushed in embarrassment, but accepted the compliment.

"Next time, I'll dance with you. That way you can dance with one of the best dancer of the Anihiliad."Evellett laughed,

"That would be an honor, my lady."

Nessa danced and twirled her way down the hall, Evellett doing the same, a little slower behind her. They whirled down the hall, till entering a dome clearing filled with greenery and a view of all of the city from atop the palace. A woman sat in a chair along the edge of the dome, sipping from a small gold and pink glass cup. Her dark navy blue dress laid loosely across her folded legs.

In her left hand was a book, worn slightly from age, of which she turned the pages with her forefinger and thumb. Long large dark black curls streamed down from atop her head, and over the chair, resting on the floor. From her chest, beads and embroidery spiraled in toward her center torso, leaving nude everything, in a line, from her sternum to her belly button. The fabric shaped her figure sticking closely to her skin, covering her arms completley. A braid sat across her lower waist as the end of her dress extended in a tail bent around the leg of the chair. Large gems in the shape of an egg covered her ears, connected by a metal band along the back of her head. Three ripples of clear gems flared outward from the crown of her head, attaching at three points along the metal band with clear wire. A star jewel stuck to her forehead, and dangled at the bottom of a diamond support of three bedazzled strings. Her eyes were large and bright green, as they flowed from her book to the entrance of the greenhouse, where two young girls, blonde and orange haired, twirled through.

Nessa stopped suddenly, and with glee, ran to the woman in the chair. The woman's eyes were warm and full of passion, Nessa hugged her around her waist, snuggling her face along the side of her breast. The woman set the book down on the glass table and lowered her hand, teasing her fingers through Nessa's hair. Nessa peeked up at the woman from within her lap, the woman smiled softly.

"Nafitarse, Mother!" said Nessa with giggles.

"It is, indeed, a beautiful day."The woman replied as she pulled Nessa up into her lap and presented a small glass orb from a pocket bag resting on the chair, ""And for your beautiful day, my daughter, a gift to celebrate your birthday."

[F1]Newer, than atop

[F2]Other word to describe garden center

[F3]Other word than breast

[F4]other word for center of garden


	3. Unique Pleasures

Riem

View 1

An open dome plateau filled with trees, shrubs, and is covered in vine growth, sits on a mountain ridge twenty feet from the ground, at the south side of the palace. \

On a short cliff side of the mountain, twenty feet from the a ground, in the southern sector of the palace, sits two people across from one another at a fine glass table. Above them, is a half dome clearing covered in vine growth. A patio outlined in coresian suns on stone bars in the ground take a small brunt of pressure beneath Riems heel; of which bounced steadily up and down. He rocked back and forth with his arms across his waist, chin down and eyes closed as he mutted and grumbled.

Across from him sits a young girl about the same age. Her skin, light, her hair bright blonde, with a doll face and soft features. The arch of her gray eyes gave of maturity, and knowledge as she sipped from a straw in a tall green glass next to a clutter of papers sprawled out along the table and the contexts of a book seated for many to view. Her dress is loose from her torso down, and bending without restraint. From her waist to her left leg, a large upside down v opening displays the peach tint of her legs, where a small cuff bangle shimmers around her ankle above her small boots. It is engraved with ascents that conspire to Riems, where a jeweled circle lined in red holds a bear claw inside. She peeks up at Riem, still bent over sucking on the straw. He holds his stance, squeezing his left bicep with his hand every time he grunts.

"You seem in a hurry." She says, sucking on the straw as she takes peeks at him. Without a change in his manner he responds bluntly.

"Nope, not in a hurry." She observes him further.

"Then do you have somewhere to go right now?"

"No." he said with a more serious response.

"You seem like it."

"Well, I don't!"

"Uh-huh, then did something major happen," she paused, then questioning her self, randomlly she concluded. "Ah, National affairs?!"

"No," he sighed comically, "Those idiots don't even know how to put the needs of their own people before their idiotic policies. Plus, their bartering skills SUCK!"

"Ah, so sucky.." his face crinkled like he wanted to cry.

"It must be hard for you, dealing with them, I mean."

"There's not a moment they don't want something from us; our gold, our land, our crafters, our knowledge." His irritation grew as he listed. "Hell, they'd marry their daughter's to me if they could; the freaks!"

The woman looked at him with eyes of derived shock. The straw pinched tighter between her lips; the water was gone. She picked up the glass, and stirred the ice cubes with the straw, staring at them she frowned as her curiosity diminished. She glared at the ice cubes before sliding the cup at an angle, tossing one into her mouth and turning to look at Riem. His eyes were open, bright green and glaring. She glared back, all knowing it was not her physically he was glaring at,quickly she crunched the ice cube and slid another into her mouth, maintaining her disposition.

Riem watched as she slid yet another ice cube into her mouth, as she crushed the first one instantly. He watched, and imagined himself crushing all the other council members of the Tavan, one by one. As he followed the last ice cube with his eyes, he the adjusted look of hers; which were now glaring deeply at him with some ferocity. He frowned, leaning inward and resting his head on his palms with his elbows on the table. He stared questioning her with his eyes, and she continued to just glare in return. Damn.

Riem thought back on his words carefully, before realizing what had triggered her anger. He stood from his seat and walked over to her; stopping and crouching on his knees. She put the cup down and slowly crunched on the last piece of ice in her mouth. He took her hand in his, and looked her in the eyes, placing his forehead against hers. She blushed softly before darting her eyes in another direction. She could feel his breath and the warmth of his forehead, where his soft hair brushed against her skin. His hands were big and engulfing; he smiled as he slid his cheek across hers, putting his lips to her ear whispering her name.

"Skyia."

Skyia's heart raced, and she felt the heat of his breath on her ear, she took a breath. "mm-hm" she said without a thought of what to say. Riem opened his mouth as if to say something, "Jeolousy isn't a bad feature even for you." He chuckled.

She jumped and attempted to push him away, but he wrappec his arm around her back, pulling her in close again."What?," Ah, I'm no longer the center of your vision." He laughs, "Your eyes were all over me just a moment ago, why not now when we're so close."

Her face grew redder, "I was looking out the window, not at you." He pushes his face a little closer, pressing the tip of his nose against her own, staring deeply into her eyes. "You shouldn't do stuff like this." She pointed out unsteadily.

"Do what" he asked, continuing to stare deep down into her eyes, almost into her soul. Skyia alternated her focus between him and her lap.

"G-get.. so.. close."Her face burned as his smile grew.

"Why not?"

"Because, you're going to be the next king." He caught the startle in her voice,

"Indeed, I will be."

"So?" she questions.

"So?" he mimics.

"This isn't the manner of a king."He looks at her, the joy slowly leaving his face.

"Not even with his wife?"She sat silent. Her cheeks pulsing to the rapid beat of her heart, preoccupied by the thought; his lips are so close. "You don't like this?" he asked with a sad look.

Skyia averted her eyes, "No..." Riem was startled, he pulled his face away and turned letting go of her hand, but she quickly grabbed his arm. "I didn't mean NO. I meant.. I'm just a little flustered.. and I do.. like it a lot." He listened with his back turned to her as she continued, his own face turning red. "That is, being close to you." Riem practically jumped in his shoes, silentily taking a breath to hold his composure. As he turned around, ready with his response, a sudden cry interrupted him.

"Sir Riem." A small beastly creature wearing a butler's uniform and tie stood in the doorway. His hand was cuffed to his mouth and his eyes were off in space; a very formal interruption. Skyia began to let go of his arm with a sad look, but Riem caught the tips of her fingers with his, gripping them tightly.

"Wait for me,"he said and without looking back walked out of the room into the hallway letting the small creature guide him.

"So, Sebastion,"Riem started.

"Just Bastion, sire."

"Why did you call for me, I was kinda busy."

"Ah, yes, I saw you looked very pre-occupied."Riem blushed. "But it was not I who called you, request's your assistance, she is waiting just outside the hall here."

They stopped before a large wooden door with a circular knob in the middle and a knock ring. He looked to the beast and then to the knob before opening the door to find a plump medium sized elf. She reminded him of a pumpkin in her frilly orange shirt; she had curly long blonde hair pulled back into a low messy bun. She wore a pair of glasses near the tip of her nose, where a string attached to both sides wrapped around her thin neck. She rose from a wooden bench along the side of the hallway, flushed and awkward.

" , I presume." Riem held out his hand for a greeting, from what he knew, she was Nessa's personal teacher. She shook his hand, it was a sweaty handshake that ended quickly, and Riem tried to avoid whipping his palm along his pant leg in front of her.

"Yes," she was panting. "I was in a real hurry to find you." She seemed flustered and sweaty as she spoke in broken sentences. "I told her not to run off, and now I can't find her. She threatened to leave the cast.. and my job... if the king found out." Her face turned pale. "I have to find her, and the castle is so big. What if she went into the market place, or got stuck on one of the mountain ridges?" She began using her hands as she spoke. "She promised she wouldn't run off, and what does she do? Sneaks off, talking about the adventures of a lifetime and how and like her's is so short."

Her last sentence irritated Riem greatly; this teacher had no idea who Nessa really was, hell, Nessa didn't even know who she was until a little bit ago. He frowned, "Well, , if my sister wishes to explore she has every right to do so. I don't think her child-like curiousity is anything to worry about. She is a smart child." made out her point dire and angrily; "You don't understand," she started out slowly. "She was talking about adventuring through the Sesmit Green fields."

"What? Why would she do that?"

"They're dangerous and it doesn't seem likely but she was more than serious about venturing through them and coming out alive. She said you were allowed to travel to the Taverian Senate meeting, so she should be able to take risks as well."

Riem's face turned pale and he felt like he was going to faint. "Thank you, I'll handle it from here." Why now, he thought, his life was already difficult without worrying whether his sister was long lost in a forest no one ever comes back out of. He shuffled back through the door, shut it it and took off down the hall. He continued to run, dodging maids as they carried baskets of clothes and foods, taking a left through the kitchen lively with the calls and orders of elderly women where he snatched a small ring pastry, continuing to descend three flights of spiral stairs before turning left onto a stone deck that circled the entire palace. The wind shifted through his hair; he took a moment to rest. He walked to the edge of the deck and leaned. What beautiful air.

On the ground, three women walked together and laughed, he suspected they were kitchen detail; He watched as they crossed the brigde into a smaller market district. Small outdoor shops with bright canopys protected misolanious goods from the sun. The market itself was circular, the shops on the right leading into the city like a diamond and back into the center to another road. One girl approached a small shop on the left where meat dangled on chains from the canopy bars. Streaks of blood stained a large wooden table as the butcher wedged a knife into a carcass of meat, pressing it down with his palms for a think slice. He quickly squeezed both sides on the angular part of the table where the blood drained into a soil filled bucket before wrapping it in brown paper, and handing it to the girl.

Riem looked back to the palace grounds. Gardeners were hard at work trimming the tree's and leaves, when a small boy jumped over a bush with a thin sword in his hand. He turned on the pavement laughing and in a stance; his hair was burgundy on top and black on bottom, shaved in a bowl and layered, cut to where the ends curled out and inward. He wore a beaded necklace with a large jewel laced in gold metal embroidery; it rested in the center of his chest in the opening of his circle v neck. His pants sat loose around his waist dropping no more than the top of his hips because of a thick belt; also embroidered in silver empty jewel spaces. His pant legs were rolled up just below his knees.

Around his wrist was a string bracelet in the colors of silver and burgundy; it slid down his arm as he held his sword high toward a woman who had followed him over the bush. She was his same height and young, wearing only black spandex shorts, and a white tank top without sleeves in armored short heel boots. Her dark brown hair was pulled back into a low pony tail and a few strings hung out here and there. She lunged at the boy with her sword, he blocked his right shoulder with his blade pushing hers down his right side, stepping over it with both feet till he pinned it with his left. She struggled to pull out from beneath his foot, and he laughed loudly in his triumph holding his sword to her throat. She dropped the sword and put her hands up, he came closer and kissed her on the forehead before putting his sword away and waving to someone beneath the balcony of the deck. Cahst walked out with a smile on his face, his own blade at his waist. They met each other half way with a bro-hug before walking back to the woman who was now picking up her sword with a sour look on her face.

Riem walked along the edge of the deck until he reached a break in the fence, where a thick wire was embedded into the stone. The wire was straight tight, where it connected and coiled around a large stone stub on the ground. Riem pulled two red latches from his belt, a short thick black cord stemmed from his belt to the latches; whitch had been quickly attached to the wire, and another from the bottom of his shoe. Riem sat on the edge of the deck balcony letting his feet hang over the edge before putting on a set of gloves and jumping. The latches held steady to the wire, and slowly he glided down at an angle, his fingers wrapped around the cord, and his heel bending forward to pull the latch tighter when he needed to slow down.

Riem came to a complete stop at the bottom just before the stone nub. He set his right foot on the ground, holding himself steady as he undid the latches. The party in the middle had spotted him and waited, he jogged over to them quickly.

"Of all the people, it's rare to see you, what do you want.?" Asked the boy with with the beaded necklace. "You're not slacking off are you?" Riem was a little tired, but his response was as harsh as it could be as a back insult.

"No," he said while catching his breath. "I'm not, I was actually looking for you two." Cahst and the boy passed a glance before hearing him out. "It's not what you think, Nessa's gone missing."

The boy smiled, "Um, yeah. She does that all the time."Cahst looked a little concerned.

"Is it more serious this time?" he stood up, only half out of breath.

"Well, her teacher came to find me. She kept talking about how she told Nessa she wasn't allowed to leave or something like that. Anyway we have to find her, supposably she was talking about the Semit Forest and an adventure or something." Cahst looked shocked.

"Riem, if she entered that forest, she's not coming out."

"I know," he responded. "that's why I had to find you." The boy looked at him irritatingly.

"We haven't seen her. Why would you have to find us?"

"Because, you guys spend more time with her, I'm usually to busy and I rarely get to see her."The boy became slightly angered.

"You could spend time with her, that's your own problem." Riem, also now irritated, responded back.

"As the third prince who has been declared as the next king, I don't have the time. I don't even have it know. Rather than searching everywhere, I thought it best to figure out where she likes to spend most of her time."The boy snorted at his speech.

"Whatever,... I'll find her myself, go back to being busy." Riem looked shocked, he was only asking for help, why all the anger?

"Esca!" Riem went to grab his shoulder but Cahst stepped inbetween, letting Esca get away.

"Let him go." He said calmly. His look was serious. "If we split up into groups, we'll find her faster."He looked over his shoulder, Esca had put plently more than distance between them, he looked to the woman on their left. She turned around and began walking off,

"I know Nessa quite well. It wouldn't trouble me any to help the Aurora, if that's what he's requesting." She walked off. Cahst returned his attention to Riem.

"Well, now you have our help." Riem looked a little more relaxed.

"Thank you."

"You just check the kitchen in the eastern corner; I'll check the market place. If she's not in either of those, we'll check the garden in the North West part of the palace.

"Alright, thank you again." Cahst looked at him blankly.

"Just try to lighten your load a little. See you in a bit." He waved before running towards the bridge; Riem did the same but through the entrance of the palace. He ran down the halls making lefts and rights, descending and climbing stairs, till he reached the back of the palace where the eastern kitchen was stationed.

A small group of elderly women were pounding away at dough on white counter tops. A large window was lined with sun drying tomatoes and other drying herbs and fruits. Two elderly women worked on one side of the table, which sat in the middle of the kitchen, pounding away at dough wearing brown aprons. Their arms and hands worn from work and age; when they called out a young girl with long brown hair in a low pony tail on her shoulder and loose long turquoise sleeve shirt with an open string v neck appeared. Her pants were stained white here and there with a few dirt spots, along the cuffs covering her feet. She diligently grasped and achieved anything the elderly women asked of her. Riem watched from the open archway, as she reached for a string of dried herbs dangling in front of the window. He stared, the sun highlighting the lighter streaks of her brown hair; she was beautiful. He moved on down the hallway, thinking he'd get to know her later.


	4. Ridges

As he turned the corner out onto the upper deck, he saw nothing. Slightly exhausted, Riem thought for a moment resting his hands on his knees as he caught his breath. Nessa wasn't in the kitchen or any of the eastern foyers. She hadn't been seen by any of the maids, nor was she along the stairs or the deck. He stood up and walked to another zip line opening in between the deck fence. With care, he latched himself to the line and jump, sliding down three levels before hitting the ground. As soon as his foot touched the surface he unlatched and ran towards the northwestern entrance to meet up with Casht and Esca.

Just like before, Cahs, Esca and the women were standing in the patio, panting and using hand gestures to show where they had been. Riem came up to them,

"I didn't find her. Was she in the city?" he asked while catching his breath.

"No, she wasn't." responded Esca harshly.

"She couldn't have gone far; there are still many places she could be." Stated Cahst.

"Many, Cahst, many as in too many. We can't search the whole palace, there has to be some place she likes to go." Said the woman. Esca turned to her.

"I believe we searched all of those already. That was the whole point of us splitting up, Tohr. Not many places left she could actually be."

"Hey, Esca! Why don't you calm down? She's not wrong; we may have missed a spot."Esca turned on him.

"Oh, and you would know. I'm sure you're the only person who'd have no idea." Riem glared.

"Yes, Esca. I'm so busy that I don't have the time to play with our little sister. As a matter of fact, I'm supposed to be at a meeting with the council of Taven ,as of right now! To finish up the affairs of our country as in our estates, our people, our trade and religious matters. Yet here I am, ditching it all to find our little sister. Hell, with the power of my position, I should just tell every maid in the palace to find her."

Tohr put herself between Esca and Riem as they started to butt heads. "That's actually not a bad idea." She said. Riem watched as she grabbed multiple maids to question them. "Have you seen lady Nessa., No?, We'll do you know where she likes to run off too? Is that it, Thank you." She quickly returned with a smile on her face. "Our next stop is the high north garden."

Cahst looked surprised. "My garden?"

"Doesn't your garden make noise when she's in it?" asked Esca.

"Yeah, that's why she's not allowed during certain hours of the day. It disrupts the people below the cliff in the city."

"Then we should hear it right?" said Riem

"Shhhh." Esca screamed. "Shut up, I think I hear something." In the distance, the wind carried a sound that mimicked a drum and maracas with a soft whistle. "Found her."

Esca took off up the ramp along the side of the palace that leads into the high northern region. Riem and Casht took off after them, Tohr stayed put. Quickly they stode up the steep path, Esca soon began to die out and fell behind Riem and Cahst. Just as they reached the peek a sudden rumble made them grab for the inner wall. The castle shook and vibrated and screams could be heard in all directions. They ran along the wall into the direction of the garden, turning the corner to see a two small girls; one sprawled out in a star on the ground, the other lunged forward and rushing to her aid. Riem let out a sigh of relief as he descended the steps, watching his feet carefully in order not to fall. Esca rushed from in between them, embracing his sister. Riem approached Nessa, angered and tired.

She stared at him smiling.

"So...Nessa?" Riem asked with curiosity.

"Um.. yes?"

"Care to explain yourself?"

"About what?" Riem was shocked, was she trying to play coy?

"What?" he let slip. "Why are you in the garden?" She began almost in a cocky manner before taking a few steps back as Evellett flailed about in her face.

"Because I felt like being out here.. Evelllett, what are you doing?" she moved from Evellett shielding her own face with her hands. "Stop, stop it." before contininuing. "I...I'm..."

Riem blew; he had exhausted himself and his time to find her. And she couldn't even defend herself. He pushed Evellett out of the way, attempting it gently but then realized it may have been too hard. "I knew it!" And now he was shouting. "You "were" skipping your lessons again." Slowly he found himself losing control of his temper, holding Esca off to the side with his hand. "Explain to me why? Why can't you just stay with your caretaker for one day without sneaking off?"

Evellet quickly grabbed his arm when he no longer had control of the direction. "And you! You're her life partner; at least make sure she is doing what she is supposed to." Both the girls stared at the ground, Evellet crying pitifully and Nessa glaring at her. No doubt because she blaming her for their predicament. "Hey! Don't glare at her. You should have been in class." Nessa broke out in a sudden cry,

"I don't want to take lessons. I want to explore like the rest of you." However, she stopped crying suddenly and responded with a sudden apology." I'm sorry. I'll go to my lesson's."

Riem felt a chill in him from her direct gaze, and something was telling him not to believe it. Nessa put a flower in Evellett's hair and she stopped crying; running off to Cahst suddenly. Riem took this chance to speak to her alone.

"Nessa, Your teacher, Mrs. Tin was telling me you wanted to go adventuring in the Semit Forest fields. Do you know how dangerous that is?" She turned with a deep glare in her eyes.

"You don't get to speak, brother. You're out and about doing dangerous things all the time." Riem swore he felt a crack in his anger; snapping, snapping.

"Nessa!, It's not the same for you. You're a child that's very important to this country. What would you do if you had been lost?"

"I wouldn't have been lost" she screamed. "I've been in that forest before and I came out just fine." Riem looked frighteningly at her.

"You've already been in there?" he aked calmly. With a snicker she responded.

"Yes." Snap.

"Promise me you won't do it again." She stared at him, slightly catching the fearful look in her eyes as well.

"Brother.."

"Promise me." He could feel the frustration burn from his face.

"I promise" she said. He calmed down slightly.

"Now, go back to Mrs. Tin and stay in class!"

"Oh, I will. And Evellett will take me not you!" He looked over to Evellett.

"Looks like she'd rather hang with Cahst than you, you did make her cry earlier." Nessa beamed at him.

"No, she's going with me. She's coming back right now." Evellet stood and soon, while carrying two small flowers, came tottering back to Nessa. "There, you see?"

"No, you're still here, and what's to say you'll make it there without wandering off on the way?"

"I will. You can even check up on us later, let's go, Evellett." She marched up the steps and then mockingly turned and shouted "bleh,buh, bleh-bluh,bleh, bleh, bleh." Before shutting the large door behind her. He sighed. It was going to be a long day, he still had to make it to the senate meeting with the Taveranians.

Riem sighed, throwing his arms out in a stretch. When was the last time he had had a break like this? Maybe, he thought, the time when he had danced with Skyia on the second wedding night in the Utera Festival in the City of Sharon.

They were both younger, much younger; a 10 year old newly-wed couple. A festival had been held in the honor of their marriage and the binding of her country with Alihilied. The streets were full of people disguised in costumes and makeup, celebrating with their children up and down and throughout the cities. Laterns filled the skies, while working to cover every inch of the ground. When the people had gathered before the bridge entrance to the palace, filling the courtyard, Riem and Skyia had stepped out onto the balcony dressed and nervous. The people sat waiting, the world silent. Riem breathed and looked at Skyia, she was nervous and scared. He took one soft breath, smiled at her; taking her hand before turning to the people. He threw their arms into the air and the city roared to life; the festival had begun.

He began doing low arm stretches as he walked about the garden, staying clear of Esca who seemed to be on his own way out, probably to meet with Tohr. Riem thought about Skyia some more, disappointed he had to leave her so soon. That was his only chance this month to spend time with her. He sighed, she must be lonely. Riem imagined her walking in the garden with him, side by side, her long blonde hair swimming in the wind, her overbursting laughter warming the world with the joy on her face, the soft touch of her eyes when she would stop to tease him. Riem stopped near the edge at the start of the waterfall in the garden. He stared out over the city, over the woods and into the sky, falling on the parthridge. He examined it carefully, slowly from the bottom up it began to turn a fire red, he closed his eyes abruptly and opened them again to find himself seeing the same thing.

"Hey, Cahst?" he asked into the open air, not moving his gaze from the parthridge. "Do you see this; the parthridge is changing a different color." Cahst looked toward Riem, striding over from his corrective work on his garden, Esca was nowhere to be found.

"Maybe it's because you're staring at it." Riem turned to him with a puzzling look like does-that-answer-even-make-sense to a be-more-clear style. Cahst sighed, "The parthridge is The Makers dimension, and The Maker is all of us and our reflection, however our soul is still our own, so we must reflect something of our own." Riem was still begging for him to be more clear. Cahst twirled a clover between his fingers as he continued, "So basically your deepest thoughts and desires are reflected; Orange for lust, green for sadness, Pink for despair, blue for longing, indigo for guilt, red for passion, white for anger, and black for jelousy." Cahst got a little closer to Riem.

"What color is it for you?" he asked, it seemed that he understood. Cahst put his head down watching his fingers as he twirled the clover.

"Indigo." Riem wasn't surprised but felt a little saddened with himself; the parthridge he saw turned green and indigo.

"It's a beautiful color." Riem stared at the parthridge. "Cahst, I don't want you to think..."

"I'm sorry." Cahst stared deeply at the clover, twirling it faster and faster. "I pushed something on you, that is.. the one burden I was supposed to take on myself." They were both silent for a moment. Riem stared at his brother; he could feel the guilt in his eyes,and the sincerity of his apology.

"I've never once looked at it that way." He frowned, then chuckled sadly. "Yes, you did run away from being king. It's a hard job and requires a lot of sacrifice. But I've never once blamed you for it." Riem put his hands in his pockets, and took a breath of air. "Never mind, that was a lie. At one point I did resent you for not living up to your responsabilities." Cahst continued to stare at the clover. "When you declared to the king, I'm not doing this anymore; he didn't pursue you. He chose another of his sons to take his place."

"I'm sorry." Cahst squeezed the clover a little tighter.

"That day he dragged me into the coronation room filled with all his advisors and ambassodors. He put me in the center of that giant throne room, and began crowning me himself. I begged.." the frustration caught him mid way, and he took a moment. "I begged on my knees for it to not be me, but he pulled me up and told me; "A king never begs."

Cahst frowned, his hand shaking, he tried to say something.

"After that day, I turned to you for help. But you wanted nothing to do with me, I can assume it is because you had felt guilty."

"I took your life from you. I have had no right to feel guilty, but I am forever ashamed." Riem turned and made Cahst look at him. Cahst continued to make a face like that to someone who witnessed a crime and kept quiet.

"You are my brother, and today I appreciate what you have done for me. If I had not become king then I would never have met Skyia. Who knows what kind of person I would have grown into." Riem grabbed the clover from Cahst's hand. "Life is precious and fragile at the same time. But it's how we move forward and make of our choices and others choices to our advantage." Riem plucked the fifth leaf from the clover making it four. "And like this, I forgive you."

"You're going to forget about the past?" Cahst looked relieved, somewhat.

"No." Riem looked Cahst in the eyes, the hope in his diminished. "I'm going to remember that fifth leaf, because without out it, I would never have made four." Cahst stared at the clover then to his brother.

"I will serve you for eternity, brother. If that is what I mean to you." Riem smiled throwing his arm about, stretching them back and forth, then turning in a different direction.

"You have always meant a lot to me, Cahst."


	5. rounds Make Us King

As the flames burned everything red to black ash, Esca had thrust his sword at the_. The blade wedged beneath the opponents heart, drawing back quickly for a merciful and instant death. He spun the sword above his shoulders, as he swayed in his circumference, slitting the throats of all those around him; in one and at one. The masters let go of their weapons and succumbed to the floor. Behind Esca, the fire burned deep into the walls of the palace, turning silver to black, gold to ashen and embroidery and belongings to nothing. He stepped over the bodies carefully, moving forward along the hall. They reeked of blood like his clothes and hands. The amount of soldiers that had come through, and the amount of soldiers he had slain weren't adding up. Soon this hall alone would be filled with bodies.

Dark thoughts filled his mind, he shook his head, in an effort to not let his imagination run wild; but it was very little comfort. As he stared at the ground, the heat laced his skin. The sweat dripped from his hair, now flat and soaked, dripping across his eyelashes, where the salt burned. He ruffled his shirt over his neck, hair and face, but a dry shirt would have made him more comfortable. Esca took a moment to breathe, he felt off, like their was no air. He breathed harder, in hopes to obtain most of what little he could get from this cauldron, but it only made him dizzy. He stepped forward over more dead bodies, supporting himself against the wall with his shoulder. His necklace dangled against his chest with every step, and he soon found himself closer to the ground than expected. He felt sick in this stench hell.

"All of this," he thought. "All of this is wrong, so wrong!" The mental wall he had been carefully building collapsed. Images of his brothers, his mother's, his friends and citizens bodies laying cold and bleeding, were overcome by a plaque of death by every blade that touched them. "No," he screamed. The thoughts were getting darker, more detailed. He could see Tohr being beaten by these thugs, beaten and scathed, and worse, defiled by these mongrels. He shivered. "No, she'd kill them before they got that far", he told himself. "Nothing like that will happen, it won't happen." He calmed down slightly; the heat was no longer as bad, it actually felt pretty cold. In a way, too cold, but he could see the fire through his blurry vision, to which he concluded: he had not moved.

Riem turned the corner around the hall, as to what lead past the quarters of the servants now burning to ash. Using the sleeve of his arm to filter the air, he struggled to open a window with his one arm. The barricade on the door from outside prevented him from leaving the quarter. The window burst open, sucking into it the smoke that floated out to the sky. Riem dropped his sleeve and reached for the ledge, giving himself a boost long enough for him to hold on and take a few breaths of clean air before falling back into the room. As he coughed, the room got hotter; he turned to the door. He shuffled his feet to the closed door and threw his back at it.

"Can anyone hear me?" He shouted before coughing harshly. He took short breaths. He beat his back against the door, using his head and hands in rhythm. For a moment, only the fire responded with a flicker and briskheat. The window was full of smoke, from what flowed from under the door. Riem slumped to the floor, mumbling softly, "Anyone, please. It's me..."

Silence.

"It's the Prince." He shouted louder. Hoping that even an enemy might come barging in for his life at the call of his title; while they were after it, he would save it.

Still, silence.

"God Dammit!" Riem shouted in frustration, pounding his fist against the floor; wasting, what energy he had left to him. The jewel at his ear rested on his panting chest. He reached for it, staring at its glimmering tip, and thought of Skyia. The fire in his spirit burned with rage and suffering. Skyia; he had left her in the atrium on the roof. He choked, and his body shook violently. What if, in all this time he'd been stuck here, Skyia had been attacked? What if she did not make it out in time? Gripping the crystal tighter, Riem closed his eyes, and brought the tip of the crystal to his lips. Veins of light stretched from the crystal, crossing over his mouth, down his neck and up beneath his eyes. Riem cried out as he dropped the crystal. A burning sensation rippled throughout his body; all he breathed was fire, his insides melted and his skin pulsed. He clawed at his neck and face, finally curling his arms into his chest where the ore of his power was centered. Riem shook violently as he focused on the center of the flames, in his chest and throughout the palace. As royalty, he like grew of his family members had inherited a power; carved and pressed into the soul at the center of the chest. he focused harder, reaching his thoughts to the kitchen he passed with the girl, all is siblings rooms, the garden, the staircases, the lots , all the atriums, the roof, the entrance, the hall ways. As he focused, the heat began to die some, where it continued to diminish till a cool breeze crept underneath the door, and the stench of burned flesh and wood produced an unlikely odor.

Crack-shkk-drtop

A sudden pain prickled in the lower right of Riem's chest. The strain of his power cracked multiple ribs in separate spots along the bone. It was enough to make him bend over, but he quickly propped himself up against the door, pressing his back into the wooden encryptions. Focus he told himself. There is still the city!

He closed his eyes, grunting and gritting his teeth. He imagined the city, the forest, the ports, the rivers, the downtown streets, the grand bridges, the residential homes in the hills, and the neighboring villages and barns spanning across miles of the dimension.

Crack- another rib. Riem coughed but kept focusing. He breathed heavily, panting, trying to keep his eyes closed. Imagine it. Imagine it all!

He thought first, Fire. Then, cool, become mist and cool. Cool. Cool. Cool. Cool.

When he felt he could no longer feel the fires presence in the city, he opened his eyes and exhaled. Slowly, the dark roomed faded, his sense of smell, awareness were fading. He could feel himself descending, at first side ways then backwards, where he watched the ceiling come into view, streams of light and fire had marked the wood on the door in another way. Riem floated there, the ceiling as his only view, when was he to hit the floor? He turned his head, shaking as he did so. All he could see was an unidentified figure blocking out the light from the hallway, before he couldn't handle anymore. So much pain was relieved from his body: his ribs were numb, his arms rested on something, and his mind went blank.

"Skyia" he whispered as his last struggle to stay awake.

"Riem?!"Cahst screamed. "Riem, where are you?!" Cahst bulldozed a few enemy soldiers with his blade as he swung it diagonally across from their shoulder to their hip bone. He was trapped in the western hall on the fourth floor of the palace. He swung his blade again, this time across the ear and eye of the soldier that came running around the corner. The soldier fell feet first, his head hitting the back of the floor just underneath Cahst's blade where he had swung. The solder laid their a moment, and Cahst stood immobilized, in the same stance he had swung. He stared down at the soldier, who was only a young man about his age; nineteen to the earliest. Cahst crouched down and looked at the young man closer. Had the enemy been using young men , even, just to invade Anihiliad? He reached out to pull off the leather helmet only mounted halfway on the head. As he reached for the flap, a sudden movement from the young man ended with him gripping his Cahst's arm. The young man had been unconscious after Cahst struck him, but he was fully awake, and unrealistically frightened by the look of his face.

Cahst began to speak, but was interrupted by a cry of war from down the hallway. He inspected the hallway with his eyes, looking for any enemies, forgetting about the young man being an enemy. For a second it was quiet, only the un-rhythmic panting of the young man brought on Cahst's concern. He quickly pulled out a bandage wrap from the days earlier sparring match with Esca he had left hooked to his belt behind him. He turned to unravel it from his wire suspender for gliding down the balconies of the palace, as he turned the boy was already sitting up reaching his hand to his face where he had been struck. He bent over, lowering his head to the marble floor, as he cried out screaming.

Cahst quickly wrapped his arm around the boys chest from behind the boys back, pulling him underneath a wooden antique table in the hallway, where he jabbed his arm into a thorn along the wall. A small passage opened as a portion of the wall slid open. He scooted with the boy in his arms, underneath the table and into the hidden pocket. The young man cried out, but Cahst quickly shifted his arm up higher to the young mans neck, throwing him into a headlock with one arm, using his other to help him pull them back into the hole. When they were deep enough, Cahst stopped, and let the head lock go. the young man rested into his chest.

"Well that's hysterical." the young boy breathed heavily. He coughed as he forced himself to laugh. "Get your arm off of me, you prince!" the young man quickly threw Cahst arm off his shoulder and from around his waist. He began to crawl forward to the opening of the hole, "Here! I'm over here.!"

Cahst quickly grabbed the his back legs, trying to drag him back into the space. The young man clawed at the marble floor, army crawling his way to the opening, till his hand reached out a ways past the antique table. Amidst the struggle, Cahst had gripped his way up the boys entire body, to where his arm wrestled again with his neck.

"No." Cahst said exhaustedly. "Stop, It's not.." a sudden punch to the face made Cahst instinctively draw back his arm to cover his pulsing face. The young man crawled quickly out into the space, but stopped short of the edge of the antique hallway, only his hand reached for others to view. Cahst had grabbed his ankle and held onto it, while using his other hand to army crawl his own way back into the space.

The young man began to slide back into the space, when he stopped moving. To the sound of large footsteps, Cahst froze. It vibrated from the floor in the hallway next store. Cahst peered over his shoulder, into the hallway. Two large green elephant sized feet stopped in front of the young mans hand. He watched as a curved horn like rested on the hand in the hallway, and clawed its way down in-between his fingers softly. The young man chattered his teeth uncontrollably, and began scooting himself back underneath the table into the hole with his other arm.

"When I tell you, pull my foot as hard as you can.." the young man whispered. Sweat dripped along the side of his cheeks from the edges of his black hair. When he turned his head, Cahst was sealed a moment with the boys unique looks. His green eyes, were turquoise and spun in wavy rings around the center. The unilluminating hue between his pale skin and soft freckles made Cahst feel ever so sorry as he spotted the cut from his sword. It breached from the top bridge of his nose, across one the middle of his eye, now blood and fading in to a grey, to the top of his ear. It would scar.

"Are you listening?" the boy whispered. Cahst looked toward the feet, and watched as another claw was beginning its way down past the antique table. A dark green substance collected at the tip of the horned finger.

"Yeah, Now." Cahst jerked the young boys foot back, moving his hand and feet to crawl deep into the space.

"Hey.." The boy screamed while he slid along the floor. "Hey, Hey, Hey!"

The young boy heard a boom from the entrance of the opening. A large creature with skin textured in wrinkles over wrinkles, produced a sickening motion as it forced itself into the space, crawling right behind them. The boy cried out, "Wha..Agh!, No!"

he began jerk about the space, Cahst gripped tighter, "Shut up and crawl, dammit." he screamed over the boy.

The young man did just that as the green fat reptile blob got closer, its open mouth, almost as wide as the opening, snapped for a chance of human flesh. The young man used his arms to push himself towards Cahst, as if running backwards. The corridor continued to get darker as the blob filled the space. Just as the young man felt his ankle jerk to his right, he felt the warmth and air pressure of the creature as it passed him down the corridor. He laid there motionless, as Cahst sat his back up against the wall of another opening. Cahst panted a moment, rolling his head back and forth along the wall.

"Get back..." he said between his breaths. The young boy inched his way away from the opening, to sit next to Cahst on the opposite wall. He turned to Cahst,

"That thing, it might backtrack."

"Shhh, listen." A rumble vibrated through the walls, and was coming from the separate hallway, they had just been in. The young man began to panic.

"He's coming back. We've got to run back." He looked to his right, but the passage was blocked, only this space was available. Cahst laughed a bit, "It's not that. His remains, maybe...ah." He felt a sudden pain in his chest, from his sternum to beneath his ribs. the panicking boy stared in disbelief, he reached for Cahst's shoulders, pulling him forward, shaking him a bit: but Cahst seemed too tired to respond. The vibrations tickled at the young mans back and through his legs. Cahst, with little stamina, hugged the boy, "Don't look over there."

"Huh.." As the young man turned his head from the rumbling hallway, a blazing reds, oranges, and yellows lit up the space. The shadows danced behind Cahst's body, with each movement of flame, blowing his hair back and forth like a common breeze as his head rested into the shoulder of the young man. Cahst loosened his grip, and panted slowly, "Hold your breath,", he whispered.

"What?, What did you say? Hey, are you alright? Don't pass out here, help me!" The fire began to singe his clothes. He hugged Cahst harder and shuffled him to the end of the passageway; four feet deeper into the space. "Here. It's safer...here.." The young man felt light headed, and the dark space began to feel even darker. He rested his back against the wall, next to Cahst, panting swiftly as he watched into the fire. The streaks of color blended together, turning black at the moment he, too,had no choice but to rest his head against the wall.


	6. Speciality Course

The door burst open. At a small table sat an Anihiliad Queen marked with her status as by wearing a dark green dress, and the number of jewels on her head. Fire raged in the background of the atrium, reflecting through the glass, where the forests beneath engulfed in flames made her dawning eyes look fierce and worthy of her status. She stood standing in front of the small table chair, her long dress curled out like a tail from her body, and her long hair collected together to her right, put together in a flimsy braid with an orange flower in the middle, halfway down her body. In her right hand, she held a pencil sized blade, with blades on both sides. The one in her hand, and the one on the other end; its center opened to a hollow tube to which the blades extended from.

She clipped the blade into the center of her palm, tightening her grip. The two men walked in slowly. Nessa could make out the dark blue marks on their skin. On the right, was a man with horns lining his jaw bone and the top line of his forehead. His beard was covered in musk and bristling whiskers that overlapped in-between his horns. A well fit body, where as he dangled his large double edged axe from the grip of his two shoulders, up , and down across the center of his body, he flexed and produced ridges that would drift the course of water. He smiled, taking in the room.

"How beautiful. The king's bitch,... at least what I thought at first." he laughed, "But you're much more, right?" The woman leaned forward, her eyes locked on them both. He hissed, "Your eyes burn women, such fury." He leaned over in a taunt, tossing his blade back over both his shoulders, licking his lips, "I like that." The woman's face twitched in disgust.

"If there ever was a day I too would enjoy killing someone as you have everyday, then this would be the first." She said, standing up a bit more, pointing the tiny blade directly at them. "The stench of blood reeks, off your breath."

A blood curling smile etched itself into their faces, inching across their jaws. The other one cocked his head side ways, rolling it forward as he built up in laughter. His black cloak draped over his body, leaving only the lower half of his face for victims to see. "Ah, my dear lady. You are wise in that fact, but..." He held out his arms, pointing to the orange and red headed girl pressured against the glass of the atrium windows. She banged at the glass, looking to the fire and people of the courtyards below. A sense of grief filled the woman. Evellet rushed out from beneath the table, turning to the intruders, holding her arms out to display 'she will protect', with her arms wide, Evellet shivered a bit as she caught the blood curling eyes of their enemies. She quickly looked at their mother, but the men charged forward.

"Run!" The woman screamed. Nessa turned from the glass, now aware of their situation, but Evellet took her arm and took off to the right, and up the stairs pulling the resistant girl behind her.

"Mother!" Nessa cried. She reached out to her, against the force of Evellet, stopping them a moment on the steps. The cloaked man had engaged their mother head on, and left no chance to miss his opportunity. The other: charged in their direction from the opposite stairwell. Evellet panicked, as he made it to the top balcony before they did.

"Nessa, come." she yelled, picking up the young girl in her arms, rushing down the stairs. At the last step she tripped, pinning Nessa to the floor with her body weight. The man grabbed Evellet with two arms as she clawed at the floor. He pulled her up with his one arm, thrusting her towards him. As she was forcefully spun and pulled toward the man crouched on the ground, they came face to face. He laughed, then head-butted the blonde girl. She fell to the floor screaming, as Nessa cried out at the same time. They hit the floor, blood streaking from their faces. His job was done.

"Found her, Clave". He drug the blonde one by her arm along the floor, and the red headed one by her feet, as he walked towards the mother.

"Stop." the Queen cried out. In her moment of disregard, Clave lunged forward, striking her in the stomach with the back of his axe. She fell to her knees, and he again grabbed her hair, throwing a punch from the side of her face till she fell to the floor. Her crown broke, and blood hung from her lips. She laid motionless on the marble floor. He kneeled down, letting his axe down onto the floor. Grabbing her hair till she was at his eye level; he looked her in the eyes, before thrusting a smaller blade into her abdomen.

"I did always love you, Marquis. I hope you have learned from experience; do not forgive me this time." With that he left, dropping her head to the floor. "Now, we leave."


End file.
